
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed stated on Thursday that he is now a "freelance politician" without direct ties to any political party. This remark was made during a meeting with Peter Obi, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, and South-East stakeholders in Bauchi. Governor Mohammed emphasized that the discussions focused on national unity and collaboration, not partisan interests. He noted that both his party and Obi's party are in a state of limbo, awaiting judicial outcomes, and that ongoing engagements among political actors are aimed at potential realignment and cooperation for future elections. Mohammed described Obi's visit as symbolic, reflecting efforts to build bridges across regions and unify the country. Peter Obi also affirmed that the visit was to foster unity and collaboration across the country, dismissing speculation about political defections and stating the engagement was about building a better Nigeria. The meeting included former Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa and Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe and Victor Umeh. This development follows a series of political consultations by Governor Mohammed with stakeholders from various parties as realignments intensify ahead of the 2027 elections.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on Nigerians to continue praying for the exposure of those sponsoring terrorism, speaking at an Inter-Denominational Church Service for Democracy Day in Abuja. Akpabio reflected on his time as Akwa Ibom State governor, where he initiated monthly prayer sessions to combat kidnapping, militancy, and killings. He emphasized that Nigeria has overcome past crises, including political upheavals, economic turbulence, pandemics like Ebola and COVID-19, and insurgencies, highlighting 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance. Akpabio acknowledged the widespread pain caused by insecurity, including kidnappings and violent attacks, and called for national resilience. He shared his personal anguish from the Nigerian civil war, relating it to the trauma faced by families affected by current insecurity. Akpabio assured Nigerians of President Bola Tinubu's administration's commitment to ending insecurity, restoring peace, and securing the release of all captives. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also stated the federal government's efforts to ease economic hardship and enhance security measures.
Must ReadNigeria's trade sector attracted $65.79 million in foreign capital during the first quarter of 2026, marking a 91.31 percent increase from the $34.39 million recorded in the same period of 2025. This growth indicates renewed investor confidence in commercial activities and cross-border trade, despite the figure being lower than the $80.94 million in Q3 2025 and $119.21 million in Q4 2025. The National Bureau of Statistics reported that trade was the largest contributor to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product in Q1 2026, accounting for 17.89 percent of total output. Dr. Muda Yusuf, Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, attributed this to improved exchange rate stability, better FX liquidity, easing inflationary pressures, and recovering business confidence. However, Yusuf cautioned that sustainable economic transformation requires stronger productive capacity and industrialization. Industry experts anticipate trade will play a growing role in driving growth across Nigeria and Africa, particularly with the African Continental Free Trade Area. Bowale Adeoye, Chief Executive Officer of Seedtree Capital, highlighted innovations in trade finance and logistics, such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System, which reduce transaction costs and address Africa's trade finance gap. She also emphasized the importance of cold-chain infrastructure and localization for competitiveness. Ijeoma Ezenwa, Chief Executive Officer of NAHCO Commodities Li
Must ReadExperts are advocating for immediate reforms to Nigeria's Safe School initiative following a significant increase in school abductions. Since the initiative's establishment in 2014 and implementation in 2015, over 2,000 students and teachers have been kidnapped, according to a media tally. While isolated cases occurred between 2015 and 2017, mass kidnappings targeting schools in northern and central Nigeria escalated after the 2018 abduction of 110 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Science and Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State. Notable incidents include the abduction of 303 students in Kankara in December 2020, 279 girls in Jangebe in February 2021, and 287 students in Kuriga in March 2024, among many others. A national plan for Safe Schools financing from 2023 to 2026 allocates N82,909,728,970 to security agencies for arms, equipment, training, and operations. The Federal Government is expected to contribute N119.83bn, with states providing N24.93bn. Former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, called for an overhaul of the security coordination framework, emphasizing intelligence-driven policing and strengthened state-level security structures. He also highlighted the need for integrated intelligence centers and collaboration between security agencies and communities. Retired Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi, echoed calls for a review of the security architecture, stressing that all security services must actively protect educational institution